Golf club



Nov. 16,1926.` I 1,607,284

A. A. KRAEUTER Goms' CLUB Filed July 15. 1925 Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR A. KRAEUTER, OE sou-TE: ORANGE, NEw JERSEY, AssIGNoR 'ro THEKROYDON COMPANY, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OE NEW JERSEY.

COLE CLUB.

This invention relates to improvements in golf Vclubs andmoreparticularly to a method and means of locking the sole plate on andto the bottom face of wooden golf clubs or golf Clubs having woodenheads such as drivers, brassies, spoons and the like. I

The principal object of this invention is the provision of aconstruction inY which the sole plate is securely locked and held inposition and in which all Vshocks and strains of any kind to which itand the Club head are subjected through it are taken up by the lockingmeans in such a way as not to interfere with the attaching means of thesole yplate to the Club heador in such a way as to detrimentally affectthe head of the'club itself. Y

A furtherA object is the provision in a construction of this kind of alocking key or Vring Vwhich isV interposed between the sole plate andthe club head and has portions projecting into and fitting into both thesole plate and the club head whereby f the strains and stresses aretaken up lby the locking key or ring and not by the attaching means orthe club head itself. In other words, the locking lkey'or ring relievesthe attaching means and also the sides of the recess in the bottom ofthe head of the club from any vshocks and strains arising from impactwith the sole plate.

To the vaccomplishment Of the foregoing and such other Objects as mayhereinafter appear this invention consists in the'construction,combination' and arrangement of parts hereinafter vdescribed andthensought to be defined in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereofand which show, merely for the vpurpose of illustrative disclosure, apreferred embodiment of this invention, it being expressly understoodthat various changes may be made in practice within the scope of theclaims without digressing from my inventive idea. v

In the drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of the head of a golfclub, parts being shown broken away and in vertical sectionsubstantially on line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view vof a golf club head constructionembodying my invention.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of a golf head construction before thesole plate and key are assembled thereon. Y

Figure 4L- is a bottomv plan view ofthe sole plate itself.

lFigure 5 is a bottom plan View of the key itself. I

lReferring now to the drawing, the numeral l designates a wooden clubhead of any one of the ordinary forms of wooden golf clubs at vpresentin use. These club heads are formed of standard shapes and sizes, all ofwhich form no part of this present invention. It is providedwith theface 2 which is inclined according to the type of the club and .also hasa rounded rear portion 3 and the bottom face or surface el.; In the formshown, this bottom face orY surface is provided with a groove or recess5 extendingl entirely therethrough from the frontor face 'to the rear orback of the club and this recess may berof any desired shape. lhile theillustration shows that the recess is of a general tapered formationnarrowing toward the rear face of the club, this ispnot essential beingmerely a matterof convenience for the purposes hereinafter-set forth.The sides 6 of this groove or recess are in the form of straightshoulders and are adapted to receive the sole lplate 7 which correspondsin shape lto the shapek of the recess, having the sides 8 which areadapted to fit the sides 6 of the recess, having the rear end 9 roundedto conform to the curve and shape of the rear end of the club and havingYthe front end 1G' similarly shaped to ycorrespond to the lowerpart ofthe front face of the club, and the front and bottom portion thereof asillustrated, as is well understood. This plate 7 is preferably lof metalor it may be made of other suitable material. It is provided with aplurality of apertures l1 suitably placed and preferably countersunk asillustrated to receive the screws or other securing means 1l which passtherethrough and into the club head to hold the sole plate in positionon the club head. The club head itself on the inner face or recess ofthegroove 5 is formed with a groove or recess or keyway l2 and the innerface of ,the sole plate 7 is formed with a groove or recess O'r keyway13 of similar or complenfientary shape to the groove or recess or keywayl2.' In'the illustration these key- Ways 12 and 13 are shown to be ofcircular shape, and this is the preferred form, though it is to beunderstood that they may he of other forms as long as they provide akeyvvay of sufficient length and thickness for the purposes hereinafterset forth. These keyways 12 and 13 are adapted to receive a key 14 whichin the fo in shown is ring shaped and fits into the keyivay 1 2 and alsointo the keyivay 13 securely locking and holding' the sole plate inposition horizontally With reference to the club head. rlhe keyivays 12and .13 are `of sufficient depth and the key 1d is of suliicientthickness to receive and withstand thek shocks and strains which aretransmitted through the sole plate in the use of the club Aand Brei/'entthese shocks and strains faling upon the screws or other securing meansor upon the sides 6 of the grooveuor recess 5. 1t is the main purpose ofthis invention to prevent these latter actions andto take np any shockor strain Awhich develops in use through blows upon the sole plate bymeans of the locking key or ring 1,4, and to relieve the securing means11 and the sides 6 of the groove or recess 5 of such shocks and strainsin the use ofthe club and upon impact with the ball or ground.

ln the form shown this locking key or ring is made of Babbitt or othersuitable metal and is formed in place after the sole plate is attached,and to that end the sole plate is provided ivith the aperture 15 and thehead of the club is provided with the leads 16 in the form of grooves orpassagexvays connecting with the groove or keyway 12. The molten Babbittmetal is poured in through the aperture 15 and fills the keyaays 12 and13 and forms the circular key or ring 111 having an` integral centralprojection 1? filling the hole 15 through the vsole plate.` Gf course,it is to be understood that this key ring may be formed of othermaterial and in other ways and this is described as one method of makingthe same and one construction.

It is an essential requirement of this construction that the key whichis interposed between the club head and the sole plate and fits in boththe club head and the sole plate, shall be of suiiicient dimension inthickness, depth and length so as to afford a secure and ample bearingto take up all the shocks and strains due to impact when the club is in.use and relievethe sides of the recess and also the securing means ofsuch shocks and strains. By providing this key in circular form I amableto obtain the greatest lineal d` nension Within the area or compassof the sole plate.

Vilhat l claim is:-

1. ln combination a golf club head having a recess formed in its undersurface, a sole plate positioned Within said recess, securing means forattaching said sole plate to said club head and means interposed betweensaid sole plate and said club head for taking up all shocks and strainsdue to impact with the sole plate and relieving the sides of said recessand said securing means of said shocks and strains.

2. The combination of a club head having a recess formed in the bottomsurface thereof, a sole plate positioned in said recess, securing meansfor attaching said sole plate to said club head, a key memberinterposedbetween said sele plate and said lclub head, said sole plateand said club head being each provided ivith keyways to receive Vtheparts said key member for the purpose of taking up all shocks andstrains dueto impact With the sole plateland relieving the sides of saidrecess and said securing means of said shocks and strains.` y y y n 1rlhe combination ofy a club head having a recessformed in the bottomsurface thereof, a sole plate positioned in said recess, securing meansfor attaching said sole plate to said club head, said sole plate beingformed with a keyivay on its inner surface, said club head being formedwith a similar or complementary keyway in its under surface, and a keymember adapted tol lit in said keyivays and to take up all shocks andstrains due to impact With the sole plate and relieve the sides of saidrecess and said securing means of said shocks and strains. Y

11. The combination of a club head having a Irecess formed in the bottomsurface thereofha sole plate positioned in said recess, securing meansfor attaching said sole plate tops-aid club head, said sole plate havinga circular keyivay formed on the inner surface thereof, said club headhaving a corresponding and complementary keyivay formed on the undersurface thereof and a circular key member positioned in said keyivays totake up all shocks and strains due to impact with the sole plate andrelieve the sides of said recess and said securing means of said shocksand strains.Y

5.' The combination of a club head having a groove or keytvay formed inthe bottom thereof, a sole plate for the bottom of said club head havinga groove or keyvvay formed therein, a separate element for engaging saidgroove or keyivay in the club head and the groove or keyway in the soleplate to lock the parts together and take up allr shocks and strains dueto impact in use.

6. The combination of a club head having a groove or keyivay formed inthe bottom thereof, a sole plate for the bottom of said club head havinga groove or keyvvay formed therein, and a key member cast Vin saidgrooves or keyivays for locking the parts together and taking up allshocks and strains due to impact in use. c

7. The combination of a club head having a groove or keyvvay formed inthe bottoni thereof, said groove or keyway being oireular in shape, asole plate for the bottom of said club head having a complementarygroove or keyxvay formed therein, said club head having an additionalgroove extending across the circular groove to form leads and said soleplate having an aperture communicating with said leads, a key element Ueast in position by pouring molten metal through said aperture into saidleads and said grooves or keyways whereby the parts are looked togetherand all shocks and strains due to impact in use are taken up by the keyelement. Y

n testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand thisl1 day of June, 1925.

ARTHUR A. KRAEUTER.v

